The Flintlock: Safety

FLINTLOCK SAFETY

The flintlock firearm utilizes the same ancient principle of flint and steel fire making. When a gun is fired, the cock, holding a flint in its jaws, swings through an arc, scraping the flint down the hardened steel face of the frizzen to produce a shower of sparks. The frizzen "kicks" forward, uncovering a small indentation, known as the flash pan, which contains priming powder. The shower of sparks then ignites the priming powder. The "flash" of the ignited priming powder is carried through the touch hole, a small hole which connects the flash pan with the main powder charge in the barrel. This sequence takes place in a fraction of a second, when the gun has been properly loaded, primed and carries a sharp flint and a hardened frizzen. NOTE: The spark from a flintlock falling into an unprimed pan can, at times, fire a loaded weapon. Always treat a flintlock -- primed or unprimed -- as a loaded weapon.

Maintain your sight picture until the main charge fires. Many people make the mistake of moving the barrel as soon as the priming powder sparks.

Any muzzleloader should have the critical half-cock and full-cock functions checked prior to use. The lock should have a secure and solid half-cock (the first click position) to prevent the gun from accidental firing. If for some reason the half-cock does not fully engage its notch and allows the hammer to fall, the gun should NOT be used until the problem has been completely resolved by a competent gunsmith. Always check the half-cock position before relying on it.
Treat a misfire or failure to fire as though the gun can fire at any second. Wait at least a minute with gun pointed at the target.

Never use FFFFg black powder for a charge in any muzzleloader at any time. The only safe use for fine priming powder is for the priming of a pan on a flintlock. Fine powders will cause excessive pressures and could very well burst your barrel.

Never lean over (or stand in front of) the muzzle at any time.

Do not pour a powder charge directly from a horn or flask. If a smoldering ember is present, it could ignite the powder in the larger container, as well as the powder charge, as it is poured into the barrel. This excessive amount of black powder could cause a dangerous explosion possibly causing a serious injury to yourself and bystanders. Therefore, be safety minded; use a graduated powder measure or other small measuring device.

Never stand near an open flame with your powder horn or loaded weapon.

Recap powder / priming horn prior to firing. You’ll have a very bad ending to a good day if a spark gets into a ¼ lb. of powder.

During the long hunter era, members of a camp would place a feather into the touch hole to signify their gun was loaded but had no powder in the pan. At NO time will you maintain powder in your gun while in camp. Nor will you place a feather into the touch hole, even if the gun is unloaded, as this could cause undesired attention by a safety officer.

When firing, cock your gun at an angle so that the sparks from the pan do not in turn burn the person beside you.

Special thanks to coon-n-crockett.org for much of this information.